Shirley and the US Military
Pay Rise Article

This is an old chain e-mail 9which appears to have been recently
dusted off and modified slightly) and should be ignored. More details can be
found below the chain e-mail text that appears below:

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You'll like this one. From the political geniuses in Hollywood, whose
money and stardom of course make them experts in everything.

On 12 Nov, Ms Cindy Williams (from Laverne and Shirley TV show) wrote a
piece for the Washington Times denouncing the pay raise(s) coming service
members' way this year-citing that the stated 13% wage gap was bogus.

A young airman from Hill AFB responds to her article below. He ought to
get a bonus for this!

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"Ms. Williams:

I just had the pleasure of reading your column of 12 Jan, "Our GIs
earn enough" and I am a bit confused. Frankly, I'm wondering where this
vaunted overpayment is going, because as far as I can tell, it disappears
every month between DFAS (The Defense Finance and Accounting Service) and my
bank account. Checking my latest leave and earnings statement (LES), I see
that I make $1,117.80, before taxes. After taxes, I take home $874.20. When
I run that through Windows' Calculator, I come up with an annual salary of
$13,413.60 before taxes, and $10,490.40 after.

I work in the Air Force Network Control Center (AFNCC), where I am part
of the team responsible for the administration of a 5,000-host computer
network. I am involved with infrastructure segments, specifically with Cisco
Systems equipment. A quick check under jobs for Network Technicians in the
Washington, D.C. area reveals a position in my career field, requiring three
years experience with my job. Amazingly, this job does NOT pay $13,413.60 a
year, nor does it pay less than this. No, this job is being offered at
$70,000 to $80,000 per annum. I'm sure you can draw the obvious conclusions.
Also, you tout increases to Basic Allowance for Housing and Basic Allowance
for Subsistence (housing and food

allowances,
respectively) as being a further boon to an already overcompensated force.
Again, I'm curious as to where this money has gone, as BAH and BAS were both
slashed 15% in the Hill AFB area effective in January 00.

Given the tenor of your column, I would assume that you have NEVER had
the pleasure of serving your country in her armed forces. Before you take it
upon yourself to once more castigate congressional and DOD leadership for
attempting to get the families in the military's lowest pay brackets off
AFDC, WIC, and food stamps, I suggest that you join a group of deploying
soldiers headed for AFGHANISTAN, I leave the choice of service branch up to
you. Whatever choice you make, though, opt for the SIX month rotation: it
will guarantee you the longest possible time away from your family and
friends, thus giving you full "deployment experience".

As your group prepares to board the plane, make sure to note the spouses
and children who are saying good-bye to their loved ones. Also take care to
note that several families are still unsure of how they'll be able to make
ends meet while the primary breadwinner is gone-obviously they've been
squandering the vast piles of cash the DOD has been giving them.

Try to deploy over a major holiday; Christmas and Thanksgiving are
perennial favorites. And when you're actually over there, sitting in a DFP
(Defensive Fire Position, the modern-day foxhole), shivering against the
cold desert night, and the flight sergeant tells you that there aren't
enough people on shift to relieve you for chow, remember this: trade
whatever MRE (meal-ready-to-eat) you manage to get for the tuna noodle
casserole or cheese tortellini, and add Tabasco to everything, This gives
some flavor.

Talk to your loved ones as often as you are permitted; it won't nearly be
long enough or often enough, but take what you can get and be thankful for
it. You may have picked up on the fact that I disagree with most of the
points you present in your op-ed piece. But, tomorrow from KABUL, I will
defend to the death your right to say it.

You see, I am an American fighting man, a guarantor of your First
Amendment rights and every other right you cherish. On a daily basis, my
brother and sister soldiers worldwide ensure that you and people like you
can thumb your collective nose at us, all on a salary that is nothing short
of pitiful and under conditions that would make most people cringe. We
hemorrhage our best and brightest into the private sector because we can't
offer the stability and pay of civilian companies. And you, Ms. Williams,
have the gall to say that we make more than we deserve? Rubbish!

A1C Michael Bragg, Hill AFB AFNCC

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Debunk:

There was no such article written by the actress Cindy Williams (who played
Shirley in the TV Show), but there was an article that appeared in the
'Washington Post' (during 2000) written by another Cindy Williams (who is not
an actress).

The person credited with the response (critique) above, is real, and did
write it, but it was not published in the 'Washington' Post or 'Times'.

So it is both false and true.....either way it is really just an (old)
chain e-mail, but this version has been updated to appear current, as Kabul is
mentioned.

Please ignore any messages regarding this hoax/chain-e-mail and do not pass
on any messages regarding it. Passing on messages about this hoax serves only
to further propagate it.